Rafter guide



March 3, 1959 w. A. FAY

RAFTER GUIDE File Oct. 24, 1957 INVENTOR.

at right angles with respect to each other.

United States PatentO RAFTER GUIDE William A. Fay, Ronkonkoma, N. Y. Application October 24, 1957, Serial No. 692,191

3 Claims. (CI. 33-93) This invention relates to a tool, and more particularly to a rafter guide.

The object of the invention is to provide a rafter guide which is adapted to be used when constructing roof framing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tool which is especially suitable for use by persons who are constructing roofs or the like, and wherein the tool of the present invention can be used to obtain true pitch and wherein also true mitre can be obtained.

1 A further object of the. invention is to provide a rafter guide which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same.

Figure l is a top plan view showing the rafter guide of the present invention being used.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view illustrating a modified or different use of the tool.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral indicates the rafter guide of the present invention, and the tool or rafter guide 10 includes a support member which is indicated generally by the numeral 11, Figure 4. The support member 11 includes a first portion 12 which is provided with a plurality of spaced apart openings 13 therein, and arranged at right angles with respect to the first portion 12 and secured thereto or formed integral therewith is a second portion 14. The support member 11 further includes a third portion which is also arranged at right angles with respect to the first portion 12, and the portions 14 and 15 extend in opposite directions with respect to each other.

The tool of the present invention further includes a bar 16, and a suitable securing element such as a bolt and nut assembly 17 connects the intermediate portion of the bar 16- to the portion 12 of the support member 11.

There is further provided a pair of spaced parallel links 18 and 19 which are connected to the ends of the bar 16 by means of securing elements or bolts 20.

The numeral 21 indicates a body member which has a substantially L-shape as shown in Figure 3 and the body member 21 includes a main portion 22 and a right angularly arranged flange 23. The numeral 24 indicates a bracket which includes a first section 25, and a second section 26, the sections 25 and 26 being arranged The section 25 is provided with a slot 27 that has a bolt 28 extending therethrough, and the bolt 28 also extends through an opening 29 in body member 21. An arm 30 is pivotally connected to the section 26 of the bracket by means of a pivot pin 31,so that the arm 30 is free to move to and from the solid or dotted line position shown in Figure 1. The numeral 32 indicates a bolt and nut assembly wherein the bolt thereof extends through a washer 34 which may function as a spacer, and such bolt may also extend through one of the openings 33 in the body member 21.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a rafter guide, and in Figure 4 the numeral 5 indicates a portion of a building that includes the stud 35, plates 36, and sheathing 37. By means of the tool 10, the roof framing can be more readily installed and the tool constitutes a metal pattern whose vertical and horizontal lines do not change even though the pattern is adjusted to different pitches. Thus, this is advantageous since it is very expensive to manufacture patterns for all of the different pitches which are encountered and the linkage serves to provide the necessary apparatus. The rafter guide does not use any tables or charts in the use thereof and the tool is easy to operate by carpenters, craftsmen, or persons without any skill whenever roof framing is being constructed. The true length of a common rafter can be obtained by measuring with a tape from the ridge board to the intersection of the body member 21 and support member 11. The body member 21 constitutes a shoe with a one-half inch flange thereon, and there is further provided the plurality of openings 33 which have raised dimples adjacent thereto, as for example as shown in Figure 3. The opening in the body member through which the bolt 28 extends is I indicated by the numeral 29, and the dimples are indicated by the numeral 38. By means of the dimples 33, the rivets or screws will be flush when the rafter guide is laid down on the rafters, during the marking out of the parts. The links 18 and 19 serve to maintain true bevel for top and bottom cuts of the rafters, regardless of what the pitch may be, and the links 18 and 19 may be connected to the body member 21 and bar 16 by means of rivets. The rivets which connect the links 18 and 19 to the body member 21 are indicated by the numeral 39. The bar 16 serves as a link strap and is fastened so that it moves parallel to the body member 21 and keeps the links 18 and 19, and the portion 12 in a vertical position.

The support member 11 is fastened to the body member 21 by means of the bolt 32, and the support member 11 isalso fastened to the bar 16 by means of the bolt 17, and the support member 11 can be adjusted up or down or in and out by means of the extra openings 13 which are provided. The lower arm or portion 15 gives the user the horizontal cuts, if it is intended to box in the rafters. The bracket 24 is used for obtaining mitre for jack rafters, and the blade of the bracket is-about two and one-half inches long and it can be removed and fastened in different locations. When used for valley rafters which have their mitres on the lower end of the rafters, the position of the parts can be change The slots 27 permit adjustment of the bracket 24.

. the rafters so as to indicate to the user where the cut in the rafter is to be made.

In Figure 5 there is shown a different use for the tool 10, wherein the numeral 39 indicates a hip rafter, and

being used for setting small bevel square to obtain true mitre for jack rafters. After the hip rafters 3? are in place, the rafter square is set up as near the corner as possible and the square is kept oif the plate. Then, the small bevel square 3% is slid up against the hip rafter 39 to obtain the true mitre,

In Figure 4, the right angularly arranged surfaces 42 and 43 engage the surfaces of the building material whereby the tool is supported in the proper position.

While I have shown a preferred form of my invention, I reserve all rights to such modifications as properly fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a rafter guide, a support member including a first portion, a second portion extending at right angles to said first portion and arranged intermediate the ends thereof, a third portion extending at right angles from the lower end of said first portion and said third por tion extending in the opposite direction from said second portion, a bar having its intermediate portion connected to the first portion of said support member, a pair of spaced parallel links connected to the ends of said bar, a body member having its ends connected to said links, said body member being connected to the first portion of said support member, a flange on the upper end of said body member, a bracket including a first section connected to said, body member, said bracket further including a second section arranged at right angles to said first section, and an arm pivotally connected to the second section of said bracket.

2. In a rafter guide, a support member, a body member pivotally connected to said support member, a bar pivotally connected to said support member, a pair of spaced parallel links extending between said body memher and bar and connected thereto, a bracket adjustably connected to said body member, an arm pivotally con nectcd to said bracket, said support member including a first portion, and second and third portions arranged at right angles to said first portion and extending in opposite directions therefrom.

3. In a rafter guide, a support member including a Z-shaped end portion, a bar having its intermediate portion connected to said support member, a pair of spaced parallel links connected to the ends of said bar, a body member having its ends connected to said links, said body member being connected to said support member, a flange on the upper end of said body member, a bracket connected to said body member, and an arm pivotally connected to said bracket. 7

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 975,494 Adams Nov. 15, 1910 2,008,386 Carlson July 16, 1935 2,588,909 Cruickshank Mar. 11, 1952 2,744,332 Day V.., May 8, 195.6 2,835,976 Wittenmyer May 27, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 146,788 Germany ---.V.. r Dec. 17, 19,03 

